The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-02

tnreo uayb tuey nha Doen IN III
charge, but as they knew but few Ea
g ish words, and as his bu liners wa
to sell them as soon as possible, hS
made no inquiries as TO whether they
were slaves or not.
On learning all this, and that Desotc
County and fernando were not days.
ride of, Hi debran became greatly
excited; said that he had started to
visit rs old home in Georgia on some
private business, but he would not
q there until he could learn some.
thing more about the fate Of those two
Cherokee children. / gave him a
letter 10 a lawyer in fernando named
Buekner, as / nov recollect, and re.
quested the latter to say nothing OF the
matter uatil his plans were ready to
be sct-d upon.
What occurred in Mississippi got
from the lips of Hildebran. His law
yer, Buckner, took the Sheriff INTO his
confidence and obtained writs of
habees corpus for the two girls. The
Sheriff and Hildebran were to 20 to
Buriord's plantation and fnd out il the
girls were there with the other slaves.
Toe Sheriff hid in the woods and
bushes near the fence around the
field, while Hildebrau, who wore citi-
xens' ordinary clothes, and had bis
hair cut just as a white man wou d,
locked like big, sunburnt farmer,
with his wide bfimmed straw hat,
He saw q man sitting ON the
fence overlooking gang OF negroes
| oh aN..tra, -, he Il L. a L
way. This man no took to be Bur-
ford's overseer, and he was right.
Hildebrsn dismounted, hitched his
horse near by, and got on the fence
| by the overseer, as il interested in the
work going on. After few words
Hidebfan got off the fence, and care
lessly walked toward some negro
women who we're coming toward him
as they chopped their cotton rows
In that gang Hildebran thought he
could zee two women who did not
look like Negroes. Twas fine, the
sun was hot, and most Of the women
wore sort of sun bonnet-some
straw hat. But Hlldebrau noticed the
loug black hair of two women hoeing
side by side, and made up his mind
before they were within fifty ya,ds OF
him. 1t was arranged between him
and the Sheriff that il Hildebran wa
sure OF his game he was to give some
signal to the Sherf fl, who WAS then to
come out of his hiding place, take
charge OF the Indians, and car.
~ Them to town before the
Judge, who would inquire why
they we're deprived OF their liberty.
Hlldsbran kept m owing slowly toward
the hos z ing, examining the cotton,
the stand, etc., and when he was
about ftty feet ffemsthe women he
stopped and looked on them, quietly
removing his hat and wiping the per.
SEPARATION from his brow. The whole
gang stopped to look at the stranger,
and with the first glance the two In
dams gave at HidebfSu they scream-
ed, Joel Joe" dropped their hoes
and had his big form in their tremb-
ling arms as soon as their flying feet
could take them to Vim. Hildebran
gave the signal TO the Sheriff, who
az once appeared, gave to the oversser
a copy Of the wit, and started to
Hernando with Betsy and Peggy. As
court was then but q month OFT, the
Judge arranged that the writ should
he tired when his court met. When
it d meet, Blu kner asked that the
case pe continued until the
next term, as he had not had
time enough to get the testi-
moDy needed to prove that these
girls were entitled to their freedom.
Burford bad "nine points" in his favor
-pCssession, bill of sale and constant
ownership for four or five years. The
Indian Law, bassd upon immemoriol
customs, declared that no foil hooded
Irdian could bs a slave, and that the
freedom OF her children depended
upon that Of the mother. By consent,
the cass was continued, some arrange
ment having been made for the safe
keeping Of the girls till court INST IN
the ensuing winter. Hidebran WIS
very diligent and had gotten up al the
testimony by the time OF trial, Fsprn-
airy or March, 1919, Is I now reCol5ct.
He had gone to Georgia, where Agsy
had be-n known before moving east;
had had depostions taken, and the
same thing done in the Indian Terri
tory, where many old IndiaDs had
knOwa AggY for years. Mona had
ever known her other than as a full
bio ldsd Cherokee, end under Indian
customs and ussges, the CHI ldren took
their freedom from ths mother. Be
fore the trial came off in Her
naudo Aggy died of cholera in
Memphis, and when court met
L.. h Mach 1910
de ermined to send Nancy to Herman
do by Hildebran, whom / looked for
every Gay from the nsticn." wrote
to Buckner and lsuEg ssted that per-
haps she might bs of use in closing
his case; ard when abe reached Her
nando with her friend she was placed
at some quist sugar cabin and was not
to bs seen on the streets. She had |
not been told of the pending trial,
had no. seen or heard OF her sistt rs in |
i've or ak years, and did not know |
why she was there. When Burtord's !
lawyer had flashed his testimony |
Bucknei asked permission to intro-
duce aoolber witness before beginning |
the argument.
The Judge assented, and then Hill |
'ebran entered the courtroom leading
Nancy by he hand. Sire bad ON a
bonnet that we'll coucaa'ed her face,
though her piercing black eyes took
in everything The courtroom was
literally packed With a GRO Nd eager to |
see nd hear all about the Indian girls
who were suiOg for their freedom.
Hildebran says many ladies were pres
ent, ss the trial was not aoout the |
rght 10 property 30 much as
about the right to freedom, and |
had aroused deep interest. Bar.
ford was one of the wealth.
est men in Desoto county. When
Nancy en'ered the courtroom sire
sc emed We y nervous aud confused,
her eyes wildly rolling over the sea of
human heads as she moved by Hide.
bans side. Presently she stopped as
il chained to the spot GA which she
stood. Betsy and Peggy were seated
By Bnckner, some ten or q teen steps
distant, but Nancy had seen them,
and looked as il bewildered She had |